South Africa Slang Dictionary

South African slang is a rich, multilingual mix that borrows freely from the country's eleven official languages - isiZulu, isiXhosa, Afrikaans, Sesotho and more - plus street languages like tsotsitaal and Sepitori. It's the language of the townships, the taxi rank, kwaito and amapiano, and everyday Mzansi life from Joburg to Cape Town to Durban. Words like eish, howzit, lekker, sharp sharp and yebo are woven into how South Africans speak every day. Explore the community-built dictionary of South African slang below - and add the words you know.

Its a word used to replace job
Example

I need to get a small spani just for the moment

BkayGee 21 May 2021
Bobby is a common name for a dog (usually bad dogs).
Example

Mlume bobby! Mlume!

Bunny chow 23 May 2021
Tsekeni is a slang zulu word for a beautiful woman. Often used in Kwa-Zulu Natal
Example

Bafo uyali bona leli tsekeni eligqoke icrop top.

Bunny chow 23 May 2021
The most dangerous creature. Male bestie is the guy your girlfriend always tells you not to worry about but you don't know what they do behind closed doors. He is the guy that's always waiting for you to fuck up.
Example

My guy be careful of your girl's male bestie.

Skhokho 23 May 2021
A Zulu name for a girl that means loved one or loved.

Means loved.
Example

Ungothandiwe kakhulu .

Colani 24 May 2021
They will hurt you.
Example

Tlohela banyana batlao hurda!

Colani 24 May 2021
Inkqayi is a Xhosa term for chiskop. Like when you cut all of your hair (bald).

A lot of people misspell it as nqayi.
Example

Soze ndiphinde ndichebe inkqayi.

MXhosa 24 May 2021
ibhentse is a very vulgar Xhosa term for a vagina.
Example

Ndicela undiphe ibhentse.

MXhosa 24 May 2021
Bathu is a kasi slang term for shoes.
Example

Ola boy, we see your new bathu iyababa.

Skhokho 24 May 2021
Sbhanxa or sibhanxa is a Xhosa term for an idiot or a fool.
Example

Yeer usisbhanxa ke khona wena ufunda lewey lol

MXhosa 24 May 2021
Iskhebereshe is a South African slang term for a whore or sfebe.
Example

You need to stay away from that skhebereshe.

Skhokho 24 May 2021
intshiza is a Xhosa slang term for a gun.
Example

I had to give them my phone, one of them ebephethe intshiza.

MXhosa 26 May 2021

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